My digital scale frustrates the heck out of me! I also do the weigh in several times until I get one consistent one a few times in a row. Usually takes some time.

BUT

Ive learned that if I take my non-digital scale out first, and get on that I know its pretty accurate, and that the digital scale has consistently given me readings 4lbs heavier. If I get on this one first, I know what the digital scale should be telling me.

However, I keep using the digital scale because I like getting my BodyFat and Hydration readings, otherwise Id throw it in the trash because it gives me such a headache getting weight readings.

Your body will get tired, and your mind will start to wonder. Its then that you realize that this isnt about training your body - its about training your will. This is about changing my mind, challenging my will, and accomplishing what I didn't think I ever would.

"I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious"

I find with my digital scale posture has a lot to do with it - it's very sensitive to movement, and works best if I am completely upright. Also, if you have a tiled floor make sure that its even accross the tiles as that can change things. Maybe not 15 lbs, but digitals do fluctuate. I'll usually measure 3 times and take an average.

The most important thing, of course, is that whatever scale you are using, that you're going in the right direction. After all, the "ideal" weight that you'll be told you should weigh is just an average itself. As long as your scale is moving in the right direction - and more importantly your body, then don't worry about it too much. Hopefully your doctor's scale is eqaully inconsistent and will still accurate show your increases or decreases in weight.

I usually take the average. I'll weigh myself four times...add them all up and divide by four. I figure if it gives me four different weights...my real weight has to be somewhere in the middle.

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For want of the shoe, the horse was lost. For want of the horse, the rider was lost. For want of the rider, the battle was lost. For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail!

I have an electronic scale that measures to the half-pound. It's seems to be pretty consistent, if not accurate. I do the same as Baddi. I weight about 3 times, if it's off I keep weighing until it settles on one weight. Rick

The scale at my work gym always shows me about 2 pounds lighter than my scale at home. The scale at home is more accurate now (at about 230 pounds) than it was one year ago (when I was 307 pounds). I weigh myself every morning and I usually weigh myself several times, if a certain number comes up twice or more I use that one.

I'm in a local biggest loser sponsored by the local newspaper and the day of the weigh-in my home scale said: 292 the scale at the clinic: 290 the papers scale: 288 I've checked mine with a dumbbell and it's accurate. Either way, as long as the numbers move on my home scale I'm happy

Michael

"Be the example, you never know who''s reading you instead of the Bible"

There are lots of things that could affect the reading on your scale. One of them could be as you said, the accuracy of your scale. But it could be something else.

Sometimes for different reasons, the body doesn’t always digest food the same way it does at other times. So sometimes, that potato and the broccoli we had last night may not have completely digested and then when we hop up on the scale, we weigh more than we think we should. However, that wouldn’t likely cause for a 15lb difference. It would be within like 2-3lbs, such as like the difference you mentioned with your wife.

It could be something with your scale. The best way to determine the accuracy of your scale is to test it using a known weight. You could use a 5 pound bag of sugar or flour. But those things may have a variable weight due to settling. The best thing to use would be dumbbells or some other solid item whose weight you know. That will help you determine whether it’s your scale. If you put a 20lb dumbbell on there and it registers way off from there, then you’ll know.

Also, be sure to mention this to the doctor who could have some insight too.

~~ Will ~~

~~~~If you're looking for a blessing, try being a blessing to others! ~~~~

I weigh at home just before going to the clinic wearing the same clothes that I will wear at the clinic. My current scale is within 1 pound, so that's pretty good. I take my current scale for face value. It's a digital scale from Sam's club. Seems consistent from reading to reading.

I previously had a 'Taylor' scale from WalMart. It cost the same as the Sam's club scale, but it would vary by 6 pounds from one reading to the next!!!! Horrible. Never trusted that scale. Also, a previous scale was always 4 pounds heavier than the doctor's scale. And that was consistent, so I trusted that scale, too. Just had to subtract 4 pounds for a realistic reading.

I guess it all depends on what type of scales were used in either case. At home I use a digital self-calibrating scare and I also weigh myself on a manual calibration analog scale and they usually come out pretty equal (I try to weight myself each time with the same clothes to keep consistent). With my digital scale...if I step on it multiple times I always get a different weight ranging anywhere from 0.2 lbs to one whole pound. When I weight myself on one of those large upright scales with the sliding counter weights I usually get a higher reading. But here's the other weird part...because I tend to be a larger guy my weight will range as much as 5 lbs depending on how much I've eaten lately or whether or not I've had a good sized "movement" (so if say you let go of some weight in the bathroom before going to the doctor you might see a slight difference...but definitely not that much). Having said all that...it is highly possible that you aren't getting an accurate reading because you are reaching the upper limit of the scale. Also...just because its a doctor's scale doesn't mean it has been well maintained or properly calibrated. He probably isn't worried about getting an ultra-precise weight...just a general weight so that he can factor it into your general physical level...or you may just not have a good scale. If you really want to be sure you can always get a really cheap one (Wal-Mart has some for less then ten bucks) and check one scale against another....

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For want of the shoe, the horse was lost. For want of the horse, the rider was lost. For want of the rider, the battle was lost. For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail!

My bathroom scale has a 300lb limit, and I'm pushing it (it reads about 294 for me lately).

But on two occasions, I have been given reason to question its accuracy. Twice now I have been weighed for medical reasons and it has come back nearly 15lbs less. Once was when I was getting a basic physical for insurance purposes, the other was a couple of days ago when I went to the doctor due to strained muscles in my lower back.

That morning, the scale at home (nude) said 294. The doc's scale (fully clothed) said 278.

But my wife also stepped on the doc's scale and it gave her weight within 3 lbs of what the bathroom scale says.

Is it possible that as you approach the upper limit of the scale that it would be wildly out of whack? Could my bathroom scale be that far off for me? Is it really possible that I can lose 15lbs in one fell swoop by buying a new bathroom scale??

The only reason I give the idea any credibility is that the two times it happened the scale was used by a medical professional, which presumably would be fairly accurate.

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